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There have been thousands upon thousands of wrestlers in the history of the business. Some only had short runs, while others had the longevity that others would have loved. Wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker have managed to stay relevant for the better part of at least 30 years.
Is it longevity that translates to being one of the most impactful of all time? Not necessarily. Usually, the wrestler is so appealing in one or more ways that he or she transcends the sport.
Sometimes the fame a wrestler has garnered has other industries calling. Some have ventured into television, movies, writing, another sport or commentating. Nowadays, though, an unspectacular guy like David Otunga can be a commentator. Not exactly someone who made much of an impact during his career.
A lot of the following wrestlers have had a lasting impact in one way or another on the sport we all love. You may or may not like all of the men here, which is completely understandable. But that doesn't change they helped to shape the business as we know it today.
The following wrestlers are those WWE performers whose careers had a huge impact on the industry.
NOTE: THESE ARE NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER BUT ARE LOOSELY IN ORDER CHRONOLOGICALLY, SO NO CLAIM IS BEING MADE THAT NUMBER TWO HAD A GREATER IMPACT OVER NUMBER SEVEN, ETC.
#10: BRUNO SAMMARTINO
Bruno Sammartino was one of the first true superstars of professional wrestling. He practically reigned over the then WWWF/WWF for most of the 60s and 70s.
In a way, he was the epitome of the American Dream.
He, his mother and his four siblings emigrated from Italy to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1950. Since he was a child of immigrants, his inability to speak English led to bullying. The bullying, however, led to him wanting to better himself.
Enter weightlifting and amateur wrestling.
According to Wikipedia, he set a then-world record for a bench press of 565 pounds in 1959. He often showcased his strength in his matches with stiff strikes and his bear-hug finisher.
Because of his feats of strength, he was billed as the 'Italian Strong Man' and the 'Strongest Man in the World.' By today's wrestling standards, he wouldn't have been considered that big physically - he was just under six feet tall and weighed 265 pounds.
But we all know it's not the size of their wrestler that matters but rather their ability in the ring.
He won his first WWWF Championship in May of 1963 after beating 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers in only 48 seconds. Wikipedia notes he held the belt for a combined 2,803 days or seven years, eight months and one day during his two reigns.
In one of the first shockers in wrestling history, he dropped the title in January 1971 to Ivan Koloff. The US and the Soviet Union were still mired in the Cold War, so the champion losing the title to a Russian made Koloff the ultimate heel.
He regained the title off of Stan Stasiak in 1973. He lost it again in April 1977 to 'Superstar' Billy Graham.
His lengthy title reigns were due to his overwhelming popularity as a face. But title reigns of that length today are unheard of. For that reason alone, he was one of the cornerstones on which the WWE would be built.
#9: RIC FLAIR
Like Bruno Sammartino in the WWF in the 1960s and 1970s, Ric Flair was the franchise player in NWA and then WCW in the 80s and various parts of the 90s.
He did have a lot of booking power in his tenure in WCW, but that changed when he jumped ship to WWF in 1992. The coup signing culminated with Flair winning the Royal Rumble and the WWF Championship in 1992. He was a great promo no matter where he went.
Flair eventually returned to WCW, but with Hogan, Sting, Macho Man Randy Savage and many others now in WCW, his title runs were fewer.
His influence on Triple H led to the formation of the Evolution stable that helped prolong Flair's career.
He was forced to retire from WWE in-ring competition as a stipulation when he lost to Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24. In one of the more memorable matches in Wrestlemania history, Flair was felled by Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music.
As Michaels was clearly one of the wrestlers who Flair had impacted, it made the 'I'm Sorry, I Love You' moment that Michaels mouthed to the Nature Boy all the more heartbreaking.
He did continue wrestling for TNA after that, but he was clearly well past his prime.
It's hard to name a wrestler today who wasn't influenced by the Nature Boy. Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair carry on the robe tradition. John Cena is tied with his title reigns at 16 each.
Every time someone is chopped in a match in the USA or Europe, he's remembered with a chorus of 'WOOOS'.
#8: HULK HOGAN
Hulkamania ran wild on WWF in the 1980s and the early 1990s and in WCW in the rest of the 90s. He won 12 world titles during his career and won two Royal Rumbles.
Hogan didn't even originally want to get into pro wrestling. His first love was playing the bass.
Hogan was one of the wrestlers who took over the top face status from Bruno and Vince Jr. rode the Hulkster as his top-selling superstar.
Hulk Hogan was one of the first pro-wrestlers that non-wrestling fans were able to identify. For a sport that was still growing its fan-base, that was huge. He appeared in movies like Rocky III, No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and Mr Nanny. Not award-winning cinema, but crossover success nonetheless.
He was also part of two of the most iconic moments in wrestling history. The first was when he body slammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. The second was when he executed the greatest heel turn in history with the NWO in 1996.
He might not have been the swiftest in the ring, but at that time of pro wrestling, you didn't need to be. He used his magnetism on the mic to overshadow any shortcomings between the ropes.
As the USA and the Soviet Union were still amidst the Cold War, Hogan portrayed himself seen as the All-American Hero. His extreme stardom led to some backstage issues with refusing to drop a belt or match to almost anyone.
He carried his popularity and backstage difficulty to both WCW and TNA. A huge example of his backstage politicking included both he and Shawn Michaels refusing to lose to the other.
Whatever your feeling about the Hulkster, he just might be the most recognizable superstar of all time.
#7: THE UNDERTAKER
The Undertaker is perhaps the greatest gimmick of all time. Even in 2018, the supernatural theme works. We know he doesn't really command lightning and dig graves, but if the fans didn't still enjoy it, they would have booed him as they used to boo Roman Reigns.
The Undertaker has been with the WWE since 1990. He debuted at that year's Survivor Series and has been a fixture ever since.
While his matches have been hard to watch over the last few years, it's because he's been wrestling well into his 50s.
When the Deadman came along and was in his prime, he was different than a lot of the other big men in WWE. He was slender, agile, fast and strong. He wasn't plodding in the ring and he could perform moves off of the top rope.
He has been one of Vince's all-time favourites and more importantly, he was the locker-room leader. If he didn't like something, he'd let you know. A great example of this is how Shawn Michaels would have some 'problems' if he didn't go ahead with dropping the WWE Championship to 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 14.
His impact was so great, that he was given an undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. Starting with Wrestlemania 7 in 1991, the Undertaker would go on to an undefeated mark of 21-0 at 'Manias until he lost to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 30 in 2014.
The streak became synonymous with the Deadman, and attempting to end it became a consolation prize for a wrestler who wasn't in a title match at the biggest show of the year.
#6: BRET HART
THE BEST THERE IS, THE BEST THERE WAS, THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE. Iconic words.
How many times have we heard a particular wrestler was a graduate of the Hart Dungeon? It meant that the wrestler in question was tough as nails and went through hell to graduate from Stu Hart's dungeon.
Some might disagree with Hart's impact, but his role was great nonetheless.
Hart started out as a tag-team specialist with Jim Neidhardt in the Hart Foundation. He ventured into singles' action in the early 90s, becoming a fixture in the mid-card.
When the dark cloud of the steroids' scandal took over the wrestling landscape in those early 90s, Vince McMahon needed a smaller, less muscle-bound wrestler on which to re-build the WWF's success.
Bret Hart was exactly that man and from 1992-1996, the in-ring maestro was WWF Champion five times. After that, his feud with 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin helped usher in the Attitude Era when Hart submitted a bloody Austin.
But Hart was also influential for an entirely different reason - the Montreal Screwjob.
Hart was supposed to retain his WWF Title in a match with Shawn Michaels, but Vince had the ring-keeper ring the bell after a fast count.
What really happened blurred the line between real and kayfabe. Hart spat in McMahon's direction and didn't reconcile with McMahon and Michaels until the mid-2000s.
From then on, the lines of kayfabe would forever be changed.
#5: SHAWN MICHAELS
Like his nemesis Hart, Michaels originally started out a tag-team specialist in the Rockers. He was clearly the better half of the team, and he eventually broke into singles' action just like Hart.
He was also a smaller, better-conditioned athlete like Hart and that was a departure from the muscle-bound warriors Vince had previously pushed.
His heel-turn on 'the Barber Shop' was another unforgettable moment as he tossed former partner Marty Jannetty through the glass window on the set.
It was around this time that Michaels and his stable of friends, the Kliq, became a terror to work with according to Hart, the British Bulldog, Shane Douglas and Undertaker.
They had Vince's ear and got away with practically anything they wanted. They only agreed to drop a title to a member of the Kliq faction.
Michaels' backstage grip lasted until he severely injured his back in a casket match with the Undertaker.
He desperately needed back surgery, so from 1998 until 2002, the Heartbreak Kid was absent from any in-ring action. He was an on-screen commissioner at one point, but he ultimately returned to action in 2002.
During his time away from competing, Michaels became a Born-Again Christian. According to his book Wrestling For My Life: the Legend, the Reality and the Faith of a WWE Superstar, it helped him overcome his addiction to alcohol, drugs and womanizing. He instead turned his focus to his faith and his family.
Throughout his career, however, Michaels has been known to always put on a great match at Wrestlemania. Because of this, he gained the moniker 'Mr. Wrestlemania'. Just watch his matches with Razor Ramon and the Undertaker to see why.
So many wrestlers from today like Dolph Ziggler, Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan, whom he had a hand in training, have clearly been influenced by HBK.
#4: TRIPLE H
Triple H gets a lot of hate. Some of it is deserved. Some of it is not. That happens when you are a part of one of the most infamous groups in wrestling history, the Kliq.
It also happens when you marry the daughter of the boss, Vince McMahon.
While a lot of his clout may be attributed to relationships, it's hard to ignore the impact he has had on professional wrestling.
He turned his love of bodybuilding into one of the most storied careers. He is a part of two of the most legendary factions - DX and Evolution - in wrestling history.
Throughout his tenure, he's been the easy-to-hate heel, whether it be the corporate champion or the cocky and intense cerebral assassin.
He's also been the abrasive, button-pushing face when a member of DX. He did have backstage clashes with the likes of the Rock and Goldberg, but those feuds eventually petered out.
Perhaps his formation of NXT and his helping to expand WWE's influence globally has been even more important to pro wrestling.
Say what you want about how he got where he is, but you can't deny that NXT, more often than not, outdoes Raw and Smackdown when it comes to in-ring action.
He's totally in control of NXT, and its success allowed him to create a UK version and potentially an NXT Germany promotion.
He truly has a mind for the business, and once Vince steps down permanently, things would be heading in the right direction if Triple H takes over.
#3: 'STONE COLD' STEVE AUSTIN
Austin is one of the most memorable wrestlers of all-time.
His 'Stone Cold' character defined the Attitude Era. His take-no-prisoners attitude and not caring what anyone thought easily made him a fan favourite. His foul mouth and beer drinking also appealed a lot to the common man.
He was supposed to be the heel in his feud with Bret Hart, but his toughness and his mannerisms quickly brought fans over to his side.
Steve Austin is extremely important for helping turn the tides of the Monday Night Wars. Prior to 1998 and Austin winning the WWE title off of Shawn Michaels, WCW was clearly ahead of the game in the Monday Night Wars.
The NWO was the hottest act going and from 1996 to late 1998, leading WCW Monday Nitro to routinely outdo Monday Night Raw in the ratings. The ratings' wars ultimately led to both promotions pulling out all of the stops to outdo the other. It improved the product immensely.
Once Austin became the promotions' focal point during the Attitude Era, the WWE shifted to appealing to young males and teens with more scandalous storylines and wrestlers. Remember Val Venis?
Austin's time at the top also helped WWE create the evil 'Mr. McMahon' character. Without him as an onscreen character, a lot of the worst and best feuds would not have happened (Mr McMahon vs. Mankind, vs. Austin, vs. Shawn Michaels and God).
The foul-mouthed, beer-swilling Texan was the perfect foil for the heartless, corporate businessman, and their feud helped put WCW out of business for good.
#2: THE ROCK
The Rock has always been a divisive wrestler in the WWE, and his recent cameo insulting Lana saw some fans turn against him.
What no one can deny, however, is how he changed the business.
He completely reinvented himself from white-meat, smiling babyface to cocky, mic-mastering heel. That is simply not an easy thing to do. Apollo Crews would be wise to follow the Rock's trajectory in WWE.
He's one of the best mic workers in the history of the business and he has translated that into becoming one of the highest-grossing actors on the planet. His segments with Mick Foley were pure gold and his friendship with Mick, although seemingly unlikely, was heartwarming to watch.
He helped create Smackdown and proved that if being a wizard on the mic is just as important as one's wrestling ability.
The Rock wrestled for WWE for seven years. He headed to Hollywood full time but has sporadically returned for big money matches (CM Punk at Royal Rumble, John Cena at 'Mania twice, Erick Rowan at 'Mania).
Another huge impact the Rock has had on the business is his name. Simply being related to him in one way or another has helped get several wrestler's 'feet in the door'. Wrestlers like Nia Jax, Roman Reigns, the Usos, Rikishi, Umaga and Sean Maluta all can claim the Rock as family in one form or another.
Other members of the family who wrestled before Dwayne included Yokozuna, Samu and Afa and Sika, better known as the Wild Samoans.
That's quite the impact.
#1: JOHN CENA
You might not be able to see him much now on Raw or Smackdown, but from 2002 to practically 2016, Cena dominated the WWE.
He was the torchbearer and literal face of the company. Like Hogan before him, loads of non-professional wrestling fans know Cena's name.
During the mid-2000s, the WWE was transitioning away from the overly sexualized and violent ways of the Attitude Era. What they later coined the following era was that of Ruthless Aggression.
Although it was mainly just intense matches, the WWE soon became PG, catering more so to families and children. Gone were the scantily-clad women who didn't wrestle, the abrasive language and the violent nature of a lot of the matches.
Cena was the poster child for the new era. He originally started out as a wise-cracking rapper, but quickly changed to a fan-friendly, bright-coloured advertisement for the WWE.
It made Cena the most influential wrestler of that era, but also made him one of the most hated.
Like Hogan before him, his eventual come back in any match was a near certainty, so crowds began turning on him after 2009. Since fans were a lot smarter in today's industry, it made getting the reaction WWE hoped for extremely difficult. If the crowd doesn't like something or someone, they'll let WWE or the wrestler know it. It's why Roman Reigns has had such a hard time getting over with a large portion of the crowd.
Out of the ring, Cena has been extremely instrumental in Make-A-Wish, personally granting over 500 wishes to children around the world. He truly loves making children happy and has even recently written a children's book. He's appeared at the Kids' Choice Awards on Nickelodeon numerous times and has appeared in several movies including The Marine, 12 Rounds, Blockers and Ferdinand.
HONORABLE MENTION
There have literally been hundreds of wrestlers that have had a huge influence on impacting the WWE. It might be in the ring or on the mic, but several other wrestlers have helped shape WWE as we know it today.
Dusty Rhodes was in charge of booking a lot of the matches in WCW in the 80s. His clout in the wrestling world then was so much that his main rival, Vince McMahon, named 'the Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase' servant, Virgil after Dusty (Rhodes' real name was Virgil Runnels).
Dusty eventually came to WWE but was more impactful for knocking the stereotype that wrestlers had to be ripped and gorgeous.
'The American Dream' was also extremely important to the formation of NXT and almost any wrestler to pass through it during Dusty's time there was impacted by him.
'Rowdy' Roddy Piper may not have been the most jacked or best in-ring technician, but man, could he spin a yarn on the mic. During his 'Piper's Pit' segments, he'd run down people like Jimmy Snuka, Sammartino and even Morton Downey, Jr.
It can be said this show was the predecessor to modern-day incarnations like Chris Jericho's 'Highlight Reel,' Edge's 'the Cutting Edge,' Christian's 'Peep Show,' the Miz's 'MizTV' or 'the Kevin Owens Show'.
And a more recent impact of Piper's influence on wresting is that of Ronda Rousey. She was a huge fan of his as a child and now carries on his legacy in the ring.
'Macho Man' Randy Savage was so well known for his gravelly voice and top-rope elbow. He was one of the first well-known in-ring technicians. It was said that a match with him was hard to have because he liked to telegraph and plan out the entire match before hand.
He was one of the many beloved superstars of the eighties and nineties. Savage was involved in memorable storylines like the Mega Powers exploding and his whole run as Macho King. His return to face and relationship with Miss Elizabeth, whether it was or wasn't in reality, was a bright and heartwarming moment when they reunited.
Sting was so important to WWE as one of its main rivals. He was literally the franchise and top face of WCW for much of the 80s and 90s. His feuds with Flair, Lex Luger, Hogan and the NWO and Vader solidified his spot as a bonafide hero in WCW.
When WCW went out of business in the early 2000s, he was one of the few WCW wrestlers to never lace up the boots for Vince.
He signified not 'sellling out' to the competitor and eventually became one of the cornerstones of TNA.
He eventually did join McMahon in 2014 as one of the most anticipated signings in WWE history.
Mick Foley signified the 'every-man' type of wrestler. He was a fan as a child and teenager and made a career out of his childhood dream.
Although not a beautiful or stunning specimen, Foley was so wonderful at his craft that he created not one but four memorable characters.
Mankind was the twisted, sadistic hardcore icon that helped define the violence of the Attitude Era. Watching him fall through the Hell in a Cell structure was simply hard to watch.
Then there were Dude Love, what appeared to be his teenage creation, who was a fun and free loving 'heartthrob'. Cactus Jack was a no b.s. straight-forward hardcore wrestler.
And then there was the most important man, Foley himself. He'd wrestle in a plaid shirt and sweatpants, but it was hard to ever root against him. He represented the fact that anyone, given enough passion and drive, could one day be a professional wrestler.
